Efficient fertilization in the cultivation of Angelica acutiloba (Siebold & amp; Zucc.) Kitag. in Hokkaido: Effect of amount of supplied nitrogen on growth, yield, and quality of A. acutiloba

In this study, we compared plant growth and harvest yield ofA. acutiloba cultivated with different amounts of nitrogen (N) fertilizer. When plants were fertilized with 24  kg N/10 a, the aerial part was lush, and the diameter at the top of the root was about 1.3 times thicker than that in plants treated with 12 kg N/10 a. On the other hand, the weight of the harvested root grown with 24 kg N/10 a was slightly, although not significantly, less than that in plant s grown with 12 kg N/10 a. In addition, we found that the content of (Z)-ligustilide, a major essential oil contained inA. acutiloba root, is affected by nitrogen application. Interestingly, it increased with increasing amounts of supplied nitrogen. However, the importance of Angelicae acutilobae radix as the crude drug is not limited to its (Z)-ligustilide content, and there are also other crucial quality features, such as having thick lateral roots, which were generated in this study with a moderate nitrogen application. We conclude that about 12  kg N/10 a is the optimal amount of nitrogen for healthy growth ofA. acutiloba in Hokkaido.
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research